Lukewarmness

Revelation 3:16: So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

We have probably all heard it said about Bible preachers and teachers Now he*s left off preaching and gone to meddling. Perhaps you will think as you read this study that I have gone to meddling. So be it. When I first became a Christian, I also was angered by preachers who taught that God wants and deserves all of our lives. I felt they were legalists. The worm has turned. Now even I see great blessing and the only true joy in a major commitment to Him.

It seems from this verse that the Lord would prefer us to be cold toward Him rather than lukewarm. Thank God for his forgiveness because I have often found myself lukewarm toward Him. I sometimes wonder how the Holy Spirit can be like a hot forest fire in someone like D. L. Moody and more like a flickering candle in me.

We would all rather hear a Well done thou good and faithful servant than to be spued out of God*s mouth.

Psalms 69:9:For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

Are we zealous for the Lord? Are we being reproached with Christ and for Him?

Our lives are battlegrounds between God and Satan. Which one are we helping? We don*t any of us approve of others who do things or live their lives half-heartedly. Lukewarmness by a Christian is helpful to Satan. Being cold is unbelief and lukewarmness is unbelief.

We make choices every moment of every day that please God or Satan, one or the other, never both. We ought to ask God to help us make wise choices. When we are being influenced by the people around us, some influence is from God and some from Satan. We need to ask God to give us discernment about which is which. We need to influence people for God rather than have others influence us for Satan.

I had a friend who, shortly after getting saved, was told by his mother Don*t get carried away with this Christianity thing. She was telling him to be lukewarm.

Matthew 6:33:But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

What are we seeking first? Do we not seek first the things we are excited about? What do we put ahead of the Lord? Are those things worth it? We all sometimes get excited about the Lord and then all too soon get busy with our lives and even forget we are Christians.

There are things that we want that are good and things that are better and things that are best. We often go after the good and the better. God wants to give us the best. There were many things I wanted, some material and some mental, before I gave my heart to the Lord. Many of the wholesome things, the things that are good for me have since been given to me by the Lord. (Examples: a better golf game, more financial security, more and better friends, more satisfaction with myself, more joy, more contentment, more peace, more musical ability, more confidence in the decisions in which I seek his will, less fear of the difficulties in life, a brighter future, no fear about my eternity. I could go on and on and on.)

Thank God He withholds the things that are harmful. A church in Mesa, Arizona had this quote on a sign-board out in front. God meets our need -- not our greed. I*m not sure where I heard this quote: God reserves His best for those who leave the choice with Him.

Psalms 84:11: For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

When we become lukewarm it is because we have been beguiled by Satan. He is a specialist at that and he has been using the same tricks on mankind for many millennia. He is one of our three old and constant enemies, the world, the flesh and the Devil. He uses the other enemies to try to turn us away from God -- to turn us off from God. He often uses men to accomplish his purposes.

Colossians 2:4: And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

We get things backwards. We believe we can straighten ourselves out . . . and we plan to straighten ourselves out someday and then we plan to get close to the Lord. We plan to keep Him at arm*s length until . . . God*s method is to draw us to Himself and then and only then straighten us out himself.

Please pay particular attention to the order of things in that verse. The commitment comes first, then the right thoughts.

Proverbs 3:5-7:Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

Leaning on our own understanding is very unwise simply because God is wiser than we are.

Daniel 9:8-9: O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against him;